Read Online Lilly Blossoms (Lessons in Submission Book 3) by Maggie Ryan - Free Book Online
Authors: Maggie Ryan
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offerings," Belinda said as she tucked yet another packet into a basket sitting on the large worktable. "I imagine you are trying to impress your guest?"
"Well, yes," Phillip admitted.
"Then imagine how unimpressed she'd be if the only sustenance you provided was a cucumber sandwich when she really had a craving for a taste of egg salad?"
"Or chicken, or ham or…" He lifted his hands in surrender when she dropped her hands to her ample hips and gave him a look that he was absolutely positive was same one she shared with the naughty girls sent to her domain to serve penance by performing kitchen duties.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Yardley; I not only admit you are far better equipped at packing what I'm sure will be a veritable feast, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for not allowing my inadequacies to be discovered."
Belinda smiled and spun away, only to return with four of what had to be the largest biscuits he'd ever seen. After they were secured in the basket and she'd closed the lid, she said, "I won't have it said that Belinda Yardley let some poor lass go hungry. Don't you dare return that basket with a single crumb left. You hear me?"
Before he slid off his stool and took the basket, he reached out and snagged her, wrapping an arm around the older woman's waist and dropping a kiss on her cheek. "I not only hear you, ma'am, I will obey."
She huffed but smiled. "Have a lovely tea party, Lord Carrington."
"Thank you, Mrs. Yardley." He left the kitchen and walked towards the French doors to see Eleanor standing before them. "I can't thank you enough."
"You can thank me by showing Lilly a lovely time, though, by the looks of the clouds, I'm praying that the rain waits until after your tea party."
Phillip looked out through the panes of the double doors and quickly added his own prayer, then realized that Eleanor was speaking. "I'm sorry?"
"I just said that if nature ignores our prayers, there is a gazebo at the rear of the property. Just follow the path from your tree. It's a bit of a walk but I'm sure it could provide shelter."
"Thank you," he said. "Eleanor, would you like to join us? Mrs. Yardley packed enough food for a half-dozen, and…"
"That's very kind, but I think not," she said when he paused. Laying a hand on his arm, she smiled up at him. "Don't tell me that you are nervous?"
"A little," he admitted. "I was thinking that it might make Lilly feel more comfortable if another woman was there."
"Phillip, Lilly has been on her own for quite some time. If she weren't comfortable, she wouldn't have accepted your invitation. Besides, I believe that Miss Bushy will be chaperoning?"
He grinned and nodded, a bit amazed that she remembered the name Lilly had given the stuffed animal.
"Then go. It wouldn't do for Lilly to pop through the hedge only to discover that her host was late."
Phillip walked down the path, wondering why he was nervous. It was an unfamiliar feeling. He'd escorted many women to high society soirees, balls, luncheons, and attended many a tea hosted by mothers who were offering not only biscuits and scones with lemon curd and clotted cream, but had also been offering their offspring. None had ever caused him to worry that he wouldn't measure up to their expectations. Why then did he feel as if he'd feel crushed if Lilly found him lacking?
Reaching the bend, he turned, giving his surroundings a quick scan, grateful that he was the only person in the area. Placing the basket on the bench, he grinned and bent down, picking something up off the ground. Lifting the lid, he tucked the items inside and then moved behind the long row of bushes. Eleanor was right; it certainly wouldn't do for his guest to think he'd changed his mind. He most certainly hadn't, as he'd thought of little else since reading her acceptance. His smile widened and his nerves settled when he heard rustling. Moving to the opening in the hedge, he squatted down and, when a head full of black curls popped out, he held
"Well, yes," Phillip admitted.
"Then imagine how unimpressed she'd be if the only sustenance you provided was a cucumber sandwich when she really had a craving for a taste of egg salad?"
"Or chicken, or ham or…" He lifted his hands in surrender when she dropped her hands to her ample hips and gave him a look that he was absolutely positive was same one she shared with the naughty girls sent to her domain to serve penance by performing kitchen duties.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Yardley; I not only admit you are far better equipped at packing what I'm sure will be a veritable feast, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for not allowing my inadequacies to be discovered."
Belinda smiled and spun away, only to return with four of what had to be the largest biscuits he'd ever seen. After they were secured in the basket and she'd closed the lid, she said, "I won't have it said that Belinda Yardley let some poor lass go hungry. Don't you dare return that basket with a single crumb left. You hear me?"
Before he slid off his stool and took the basket, he reached out and snagged her, wrapping an arm around the older woman's waist and dropping a kiss on her cheek. "I not only hear you, ma'am, I will obey."
She huffed but smiled. "Have a lovely tea party, Lord Carrington."
"Thank you, Mrs. Yardley." He left the kitchen and walked towards the French doors to see Eleanor standing before them. "I can't thank you enough."
"You can thank me by showing Lilly a lovely time, though, by the looks of the clouds, I'm praying that the rain waits until after your tea party."
Phillip looked out through the panes of the double doors and quickly added his own prayer, then realized that Eleanor was speaking. "I'm sorry?"
"I just said that if nature ignores our prayers, there is a gazebo at the rear of the property. Just follow the path from your tree. It's a bit of a walk but I'm sure it could provide shelter."
"Thank you," he said. "Eleanor, would you like to join us? Mrs. Yardley packed enough food for a half-dozen, and…"
"That's very kind, but I think not," she said when he paused. Laying a hand on his arm, she smiled up at him. "Don't tell me that you are nervous?"
"A little," he admitted. "I was thinking that it might make Lilly feel more comfortable if another woman was there."
"Phillip, Lilly has been on her own for quite some time. If she weren't comfortable, she wouldn't have accepted your invitation. Besides, I believe that Miss Bushy will be chaperoning?"
He grinned and nodded, a bit amazed that she remembered the name Lilly had given the stuffed animal.
"Then go. It wouldn't do for Lilly to pop through the hedge only to discover that her host was late."
Phillip walked down the path, wondering why he was nervous. It was an unfamiliar feeling. He'd escorted many women to high society soirees, balls, luncheons, and attended many a tea hosted by mothers who were offering not only biscuits and scones with lemon curd and clotted cream, but had also been offering their offspring. None had ever caused him to worry that he wouldn't measure up to their expectations. Why then did he feel as if he'd feel crushed if Lilly found him lacking?
Reaching the bend, he turned, giving his surroundings a quick scan, grateful that he was the only person in the area. Placing the basket on the bench, he grinned and bent down, picking something up off the ground. Lifting the lid, he tucked the items inside and then moved behind the long row of bushes. Eleanor was right; it certainly wouldn't do for his guest to think he'd changed his mind. He most certainly hadn't, as he'd thought of little else since reading her acceptance. His smile widened and his nerves settled when he heard rustling. Moving to the opening in the hedge, he squatted down and, when a head full of black curls popped out, he held
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